On January 16, 2026, Professor Jac Rinkes of Heerlen was awarded the royal distinction of Officer in the Order of Orange Nassau on the occasion of his retirement. Through his long-standing commitment, Mr. Rinkes has made a special contribution to society and to legal science.
On January 18, volunteers Christie Augustus-Jans, Ger Pappers, and Patrick Beckers were appointed Members of the Order of Orange-Nassau. Mayor Roel Wever the decorations on behalf of King Willem-Alexander to the three volunteers, who have each been active for decades in organizations such as the Royal St. Sebastiaan Heerlerheide Shooting Club. The presentation took place during the annual Patroonfeest festival.
In 2025, no fewer than 340 events were held in our city. From neighborhood parties to large multi-day events such as Cultura Nova, IBE, and ParkCity Live. Together, these events in Heerlen attracted no fewer than 430,000 visitors to our city, not including the regular activities in cultural institutions. With such impressive figures, we can look back with pride on a successful year of events.
During the New Year's reception, Mayor Roel Wever expressed Roel Wever confidence in the future of Heerlen. In his speech, he looked back on an eventful year and looked ahead to 2026, a year that, according to the mayor, "will be about something." Themes such as safety, Health, economic development, and pride in the city were central.
